***Official*** England vs Sri Lanka 21st August-10th September 2024

[The Brian Hardie Stance]

This is really wasteful now.

 

[LangleyburyCCPlayer]

Woakes has never quite decided whether he should bat like a proper batsman or lower-order chancer. I guess being in this team has pushed him towards the latter, but I always think he should play like the former. Such an underperformer.

Just feels like the perfect number 8 to me (only averages 22 there, but a few of his bigger innings at 9 were with a night-watchman). Meanwhile, on a similar note, was that innings at Lord’s from Atkinson a fluke?

 

[LangleyburyCCPlayer]

Brook, who had a horrid morning, is the third highest scorer in this innings

 

[The Brian Hardie Stance]

Christ almighty.

Mind you, can't pile in on Pope too much.

 

[Red_Ink_Squid]

Very well played Pope overall.

But also:

 

[BazBall21]

England are so rigid it's untrue. All or nothing mindset. The wickets compilation for this innings wouldn't look out of place in a T20.

 

[Prince EWS]

Christ almighty.

Mind you, can't pile in on Pope too much.

#TrottsFault

 

[wpdavid]

And there goes another to catching practice. Maybe Pope felt there was no point hanging around if the rest of the side cba to keep him company. There's me saying that stronger attack would skittle us for less than 150 in these conditions, but if Duckett and Pope hadn't been so lucky at the start of Day 1, we'd have been long gone.

 

[LangleyburyCCPlayer]

Well the median 1st innings score after being put in to bat in England is 294, to give you a bit of a ballparker. It's about the same if you exclude pre-21st century tests.

Considering how disappointing Sri Lanka were yesterday, and that they have improved today but not by that much, this is a frustrating end…

 

[mackembhoy]

These have definitely learnt nothing from last year's Ashes and India away.

This so called reset that Key/McCullum were on about was just changing the bowling attack.

We'd have been heavily beaten if either of them sides were touring.

 

[Prince EWS]

Pope at #3 average watch: 43.68.

 

[LangleyburyCCPlayer]

These have definitely learnt nothing from last year's Ashes and India away.

This so called reset that Key/McCullum were on about was just changing the bowling attack.

We'd have been heavily beaten if either of them sides were touring.

There have been times where we have been more patient, but it seems like after too long we just get bored and want to have a bash

 

[wpdavid]

Meanwhile, on a similar note, was that innings at Lord’s from Atkinson a fluke?

Given it's his only hundred in grown up cricket, you'd think it might be. Much more of what we saw from him today and he'll be dropping back to number 9 once Stokes returns.

 

[The Brian Hardie Stance]

These have definitely learnt nothing from last year's Ashes and India away.

This so called reset that Key/McCullum were on about was just changing the bowling attack.

We'd have been heavily beaten if either of them sides were touring.

If SL decide to bat properly and pull off a win here, it may just be a timely kick up the backside needed.

No way on earth we get away with this profligacy against Aus or Ind.

 

[wpdavid]

There have been times where we have been more patient, but it seems like after too long we just get bored and want to have a bash

You're being polite. Truth is we've been really poor today.

 

[wpdavid]

I gather that Hull's FC batting average is 3.75

I don't think they rate Bashir's batting very highly.

 

[Prince EWS]

I gather that Hull's FC batting average is 3.75

I don't think they rate Bashir's batting very highly.

It's why I was so surprised he was preferred over Hartley given I thought they put up pretty similar performances in India.

He's bowled better than I expected since then though.

 

[The Brian Hardie Stance]

I gather that Hull's FC batting average is 3.75

I don't think they rate Bashir's batting very highly.

Must be a good ton between his county championship batting and bowling average.

 

[LangleyburyCCPlayer]

I gather that Hull's FC batting average is 3.75

I don't think they rate Bashir's batting very highly.

Obviously wouldn’t expect many runs from him, but he can block it a bit at least

 

[Prince EWS]

If SL decide to bat properly and pull off a win here, it may just be a timely kick up the backside needed.

Sri Lanka's batting is definitely their strong suit - it's a similar standard to England's imo. Less suited to the conditions though and the second innings is also real.